The ushering in of autumn does not translate to fewer landscape chores. If anything, there’s more to do in the gardens. We see a sharp up-tick in maintenance visits- hours planned with our existing clients and calls from homeowners looking to help us lighten their load.

1) Watering. We can’t stress this enough, thus the multiple posts on watering. Trees, shrubs and perennials still need consistent watering to keep them healthy. The last thing we want is to put undue stress on our landscape before we slip into winter.
If watering is becoming too much to handle, call us. We can evaluate your yard for irrigation, determine where and how many zones will benefit your landscape and get everything in place for you.

2) Mulching leaves. Do not wait until the trees are bare to start cleaning up the leaves. Waiting too long allows thick piles of leaves to accumulate on the lawn which may cause dead spots. Leaves accumulating in garden beds may smother plants.
If you have a mulching mower, start mulching those leaves into the lawn. It may take a few passes to completely mulch the fallen leaves, so be patient. Leaving too large of pieces on the lawn does more harm than good. Remember, you don’t want to trim the lawn each time, but simply mulch the leaves. Be certain your blade height is set according.

3) Sharpen your cutting tools. When trees and shrubs go dormant, it’s time to trim. However, using a dull blade can inflict damage on the plant that may lead to pests and disease. Before you start trimming and pruning, sharpen your tools. Also, when trimming, sterilize your cutting instrument regularly to prevent the spread of disease from plant-to-plant. NOTE: Knowing when and how to prune is very important to maintaining a healthy and attractive landscape. When in doubt, call an expert.